New RNC Website Claims Jackie Robinson As “GOP Hero” — But He Was Indy Who Condemned GOP’s Racial Tactics
The new Republican National Committee Website is offering up a somewhat white-washed history, as it were, of Jackie Robinson’s relationship with the party.
The site, which the RNC unveiled today, claims Robinson as one of around two dozen “GOP heroes.” But it doesn’t mention that Robinson was a registered independent, according to one biography, or that he condemned the GOP in his autobiography for taking a hard turn towards racial tactics in the 1960s — a legacy the party arguably has yet to shed entirely.
The RNC’s site claims Robinson was a “great Republican” by pointing out that he campaigned for Richard Nixon for president in 1960 and supported New York governor Nelson Rockefeller’s campaign in 1964. It also says that Branch Rickey, who hired Robinson for the Brooklyn Dodgers, was also a Republican.
It’s true that Robinson campaigned for Nixon and Rockefeller. But that’s only a small part of the story. Robinson actually identified himself as a “registered independent,” according to “Jackie Robinson: A Biography,” by Arnold Rampersad. That book, which did acknowledge his support of Republicans, quoted Robinson, speaking in 1959, this way:
“I guess you’d call me an independent since I’ve never identified myself with one party or another in politics.” He was, in fact, a registered independent. But already Robinson had shown a clear disposition to support Republicans, and in particular Nixon.
What’s more, Robinson was appalled by what the Republican party had become in 1964, when Barry Goldwater won the nomination over Rockefeller. In his autobiography he described his reaction to the that year’s GOP convention as follows::
That convention was one of the most unforgettable and frightening experiences of my life. The hatred I saw was unique to me because it was hatred directed against a white man. It embodied a revulsion for all he stood for, including his enlightened attitude towards black people.
A new breed of Republicans had taken over the GOP. As I watched this steamroller operation in San Francisco, I had a better understanding of how it must have felt to be a Jew in Hitler’s Germany.
To be clear, there’s no quibbling with the fact that Robinson supported Nixon and Rockefeller. But today’s GOP is in many ways as southern a party as it ever has been — perhaps more so — and it’s fair to ask whether it has more in common today with the wing that picked Goldwater and rejected Rockefeller than it does with other strains of Republicanism. Given that history, it seems like a stretch to claim Robinson as a hero of today’s Republican party.
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Does the GOP honestly believe that by co-opting African Americans of repute they can somehow undo their racist image? Cause this isn’t the way – this just makes people mad.
@Greg: “it’s fair to ask whether it has more in common today with the wing that picked Goldwater and rejected Rockefeller than it does with other strains of Republicanism.”
Seems sort of a cop-out (troll-like behavior) on your part to open up this can of worms and not back it up with anything at all…
sbj, it is conventional wisdom that Rockefeller Republicanism doesn’t really exist anymore in any meaningful sense. My statement is hardly controversial
No one could have forseen the GOP lying about racial politics.
Omg, this website is hilarious. The token black GOP “heroes” are all from the 19th century except Jackie. Haha. I am SURE Fredrick Douglas would be a Republican today. Jeezus, how disingenuous does it get? Totally laughable.
“# BBQ | October 13th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
No one could have forseen the GOP lying about racial politics.
”
LOL!
Or throwing tantrums over having a black president…
@Greg: “It’s true that Robinson campaigned for Nixon and Rockefeller. But that’s only a small part of the story. Robinson actually identified himself as a “registered independent,” according to “Jackie Robinson: A Biography,” by Arnold Rampersad…”
I am wondering how you came across this information so quickly? Are you a big Jackie Robinson fan or did someone tip you off with this info?
and supported New York governor Nelson Rockefeller’s campaign in 1964
Don’t you just love how what is now pretty much the Party of The Confederacy happily embraces liberal “RINO’s” from its past when it suits them?
This is PERFECT!
PricewaterhouseCoopers, the authors of AHIP’s report, put out a statement last night that basically said, “Hey, we weren’t paid to evaluate the effects of the entire bill, but rather a small slice of it.” The statement only seems to reinforce critics’ view that the report is skewed precisely because it doesn’t take into account the totality of reform. PWC’s report estimates that insurance premiums will rise faster under the proposed reforms than under the current system.
The last, and key, line from the statement: “If other provisions in health care reform are successful in lowering costs over the long term, those improvements would offset some of the impacts we have estimated.”
In other words, PWC is saying if reform’s cost containment measures work, their estimate could be wrong.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1009/Whatever_they_paid_PWC.html
This whole thing is just a storm in a teacup, and has no relevancy to how the Republican Party is now viewed by African Americans.
From President Lincoln to the time when President Johnson passed civil rights legislation, African Americans largely favored The Republican party, and viewed Southern Democrats as their greatest oppressors. Mr. Robinson lived through that pre-civil rights legislation era, and like most African Americans of that period, viewed Republicans more favorably than they did Democrats.
All that changed when Johnson “wrote of the south” for the Democratic Party, and southern Democrats/Segregationists found a new welcoming home in The Republican Party.
“: “If other provisions in health care reform are successful in lowering costs over the long term, those improvements would offset some of the impacts we have estimated.”
”
LOL – that’s funny. They are in effect saying: don’t take our word for anything in this – we could be wrong based on every other sentence.
Why do those firms get paid, again?
Liam is dead right about the turnover in the earth’s magnetic poles when civil rights became an issue. The Dixiecrats were the enemies of reform.
That is no longer true -
Tena, oh to be a fly on a wall…
“Ms. Ignagni, Ms. Ignagni, AHIP on line 1… they sound mad.”
Liam — thanks for that. It’s also worth noting two other trends since civil rights: The vanishing of the Rockefeller strain of Republicanism, and the increasing southernization of the party…
Oops, should be:
“Ms. Ignagni, Ms. Ignagni, BC/BS on line 1… they sound mad.”
“Um, Aetna on line 2 should I tell them to hold?”
“Now we have Wellpoint on 3 also…”
One of Robinson’s biographies said that he voted for Stevenson in 1952. And I know that he backed Humphrey for the Democratic nomination in 1960. Not sure if he would have voted for him over Nixon
Ethan – from what I understand, none of the big accounting firms will stand by their results anymore at all because they got burned when ENRON failed.
Corporations are required to have a big accounting firm accounting firm accounting on a regular basis and it’s expensive and the accounting firms will not vouch for their own conclusions.
That’s what I’ve been told and I find it surreal.
Until the GOP begins to support legislation that boosts the middle class in general and minorities by inclusion, I don’t see any of these token AA’s doing them much good.
If they could find it in their hearts to support health care reform, consumer protection legislation, job growth stimulus, education reform etc. rather than tax cuts and tort reform they’d win a few votes.
Ethan
They’re just back tracking from their strong arm tactics and extortionistic plot to fell meaningful reform.
“If they could find it in their hearts to support health care reform, consumer protection legislation, job growth stimulus, education reform etc. rather than tax cuts and tort reform they’d win a few votes.”
I agree but…What hearts?
Yeah Tena, it is totally surreal.
This is OT, but important in that it shows just how important it is to have collective bargaining:
Ford and UAW reach tentative deal on contract changes
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/10/ford_and_uaw_reach_tentative_deal_on_contract_chan.php?ref=fpa
Anyone listening to Snowe? She sounds like she’ll definitely vote for the Finance bill.
Which means, she’s in trouble with the leadership
mike from Arlington – that’s an interesting situation. I think if I were Olympia, I’d resent the threats more than worry about them.
“Anyone listening to Snowe? She sounds like she’ll definitely vote for the Finance bill.”
Yup. But her position against the PO is confusing because she said she voted against the PO because of the same ol’ GOP scam of government intrusion, but according to her, her #1 priority is cost reduction… which of course is best achieved through the PO. She is a confused and confusing individual.
”
10.13.09 — 12:57PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
BREAKING: Snowe Will Vote Yes
Sen. Snowe just announced that she will vote the Baucus bill out of committee.”
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
Hello -
I guess her position basically comes down to this.
She wants the lowest cost possible without an increase in the size of Government.
She gave a great speech in support of moving the process forward and really admonished her friends on the committee for not being more helpful. When we talked yesterday of Republicans we admire, she’s one of them for me. Oh I know she’s a RHINO, but I still admire her.
Ethan,
Maybe along the way someone will convince her to support a PO. She supports a trigger for one and I think AHIP pulled that trigger yesterday didn’t they?
“She wants the lowest cost possible without an increase in the size of Government.”
Well – who doesn’t? Not that I worry about the size of government cause I don’t, but ideally, that’s what everyone wants. Some things are possible, some things are not possible…
I imagine Mitch McConnel’s head just exploded.
Heh. They just sang happy birthday to Maria Cantwell from Washington.
lmsinca yeah, I suppose she could come around in the end… It may just have been a political calculation. Let’s face it, her speech was riddled with political calculation. Surprising for such a (supposedly) “independently-minded” “moderate” “Conservative”.
“Let’s face it, her speech was riddled with political calculation.”
Well – let’s face it – she is under incredible pressure from her party.
Tena
I think some of them have hearts, they just need a visit from the “Ghost of Christmas Past” to find them again. And a quick look into the future of another 46 million Americans who will die next year for lack of insurance.
True. Ya gots ta do what ya gots ta do, I s’pose.
Frankly, I just don’t understand why she is still a Republican. She is obviously not even remotely welcome on the Right.
She is a professional politician.
A vote is a vote is a vote, so I don’t care what she said, because she voted with us. A vote is a vote is a vote.
O the opposition side is frightful;
But our side is so delightful;
Let it Snowe, Let it Snowe, Let it Snowe.
Ethan – I don’t know either, but always assumed it had something to do with getting re-elected.
“I think some of them have hearts, they just need a visit from the “Ghost of Christmas Past” to find them again. And a quick look into the future of another 46 million Americans who will die next year for lack of insurance.”
In fact, you are right. I just got an email from my Republican Rep. and he sounds more like a Democrat with each succeeding email. Today he was asking for people’s stories about being mistreated by the wicked credit card companies and was making a case for consumer protection.
There has to be a hidden catch somewhere -
Either Greg is writing something up on this vote coming up and getting some feedback from the GOP or he’s about ready to make some post on how Obama is losing independents support on 100% of the issues.
I’d say it’s 50/50 either way.
mike –
ROFLOL!
Ha, Liam, that’s great.
Tena, re: getting re-elected, that certainly is the case… It’s just such a glaringly odd disconnect between the national Republican terrorists and Republican voters in Maine. She has sky-high approval ratings, so you’d almost think that the entire Right wing in the state of Maine would be willing to go Independent. I bet they’d support her if she did. Who knows… It makes no sense whatsoever.
oops I meant 46 thousand
“It makes no sense whatsoever.”
Dude, that’s called: Politics. George Carlin had a great line about it – when you’re born, you’re handed a ticket to the freak show. If you’re born in America, you get a front row seat.
Jackie isn’t the only person dismayed at the change in the GOP.
Wonder what he would have thought about Reagan going to Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1980 and talking about “state’s rights”…
For all of you casting aspersions on the attempts of the GOP to hornswoggle black folks with such an obvious strategy of using Jackie Robinson…how about Michael Steele…he really helps them in the AA community! Thought everybody could use a midday smile.
As far as Olympia Snowe…having recently heard her biography and all the tragedy she has endured…combined with the prior observation about her sky high poll numbers in Maine…give her the proper perspective and freedom to have a heart. She may be the rarest of minorities in either party…somebody who votes their convictions…who actually cares about her constituents more than her donors…I know call me a cockeyed optimist..but this is the closest thing I’ve seen since Rep Cantor of a Washington politician actually doing their job!
I wonder if his family members will respond to this. Or if they were consulted before the GOP posted it.
“Given that history, it seems like a stretch to claim Robinson as a hero of today’s Republican party.”
Greg, you are being way too kind. It isn’t a stretch, it is an obvious lie. This should come as no surprise as it emanated from the Republican Party. Mendacity is the coin of the realm in today’s GOP. They lie about everything, even when they don’t need to. It is simply who they are. They have been doing so long, they simply don’t know any other way to act.
“Seems sort of a cop-out (troll-like behavior) on your part”
No, it doesn’t.
Another addition to the list of things that never happened.
In “I Never Had It Made,” Robinson was very clear about (a) why he once supported the Republican Party and (b) why he no longer did.
“A new breed of Republicans had taken over the GOP. As I watched this steamroller operation in San Francisco, I had a better understanding of how it must have felt to be a Jew in Hitler’s Germany.”
I had no idea Jackie Robinson was such an idiot. Yeah, a bunch of guys shouting down Nelson Rockefeller was JUST LIKE getting sent to a concentration camp.
Speaking as a life long Mainer, let’s not get too much of a love feast going for Snowe. Health Care Reform is very popular in Maine and I have know doubt the switchboards have been lit up with calls to her from constituents urging her to support the bill, but in the end she’ll choose to only vote for a totally useless emasculated bill in the end. She makes these ‘independent’ noises every couple of years to shore up her indy cred in the state, but she’ll disappoint in the end, she always has. No on One! Support equality in marriage!!!
@ Mr. Mynack 10/14/09 @ 8:05am…
IMHO, it takes a helluva lot of gall to call Jackie Rosinson an “idiot”… or a “Republican hero”, which these days pretty much comes to the same thing. What JR obviously meant was not that he was experiencing “getting sent to a concentration camp”, but rather was experiencing the feeling of orchestrated mob hysteria, hatred, and hostility that [necessarily] preceded the camps. Something like the vibe at, say, one of the Palin rallies in October ‘08.
Pee Wee Reese would get it.
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